Clearwater Paper's (CLW) "Outperform" Rating Reiterated at Royal Bank of Canada

Clearwater Paper (NYSE:CLW - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "outperform" rating reaffirmed by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $37.00 price objective on the basic materials company's stock. Royal Bank of Canada's target price points to a potential upside of 35.35% from the stock's current price.

Separately, StockNews.com raised Clearwater Paper from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday.

Clearwater Paper Trading Down 5.2 %

Shares of NYSE CLW traded down $1.51 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $27.34. 353,779 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 317,413. Clearwater Paper has a 12-month low of $23.97 and a 12-month high of $57.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 1.70. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $29.66 and a 200-day moving average price of $29.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $452.96 million, a PE ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.35.

Clearwater Paper (NYSE:CLW - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 13th. The basic materials company reported ($1.17) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.33) by ($0.84). Clearwater Paper had a negative return on equity of 1.87% and a net margin of 10.54%.

Clearwater Paper declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Monday, November 4th that permits the company to repurchase $100.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the basic materials company to repurchase up to 23.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Clearwater Paper

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Clearwater Paper by 45.2% during the third quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 1,887,015 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $53,855,000 after buying an additional 587,043 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in shares of Clearwater Paper by 1,102.7% during the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 429,264 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $12,779,000 after buying an additional 393,572 shares in the last quarter. D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. grew its position in shares of Clearwater Paper by 101.4% during the fourth quarter. D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. now owns 388,339 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $11,561,000 after buying an additional 195,487 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new position in shares of Clearwater Paper during the fourth quarter worth about $5,418,000. Finally, Cramer Rosenthal Mcglynn LLC grew its position in shares of Clearwater Paper by 322.8% during the fourth quarter. Cramer Rosenthal Mcglynn LLC now owns 218,279 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $6,498,000 after buying an additional 166,653 shares in the last quarter. 89.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Clearwater Paper

Clearwater Paper Corporation manufactures and supplies bleached paperboards, and consumer and parent roll tissues in the United States and internationally. It operates through Pulp and Paperboard, and Consumer Products segments. The Pulp and Paperboard segment manufactures and markets bleached paperboard; Solid Bleached Sulfate paperboard that is used to produce folding cartons, liquid packaging, cups and plates, blister and carded packaging, and top sheet and commercial printing items; and hardwood and softwood pulp, as well as offers services that include custom sheeting, slitting, and cutting.